Oldest kid in your family? Science says it’s NOT all it’s cracked up to be

If you're the oldest in the family, you're probably used to getting your own way, hogging the remote and being (secretly) looked up to by your younger siblings.

And the good times don't stop there, with studies often reminding us that the oldest sibling in the family is more likely to excel in life and meet certain expectations with ease.

Unfortunately, however, the latest findings on this front prove that being the oldest isn't all it's cracked up to be.

According to recent research based on data collected from 400,000 Norwegians, first-born children are more likely to be obese and suffer from high blood pressure.

Commenting on the study's findings, lead author Professor Sandra Black of the University of Texas at Austin said: “While first-borns are taller, they are also more likely to be overweight and obese."

"Compared to second-borns, first-borns are four per cent more likely to be overweight, and two per cent more likely to be obese."

"Overall, we find that first-borns are less healthy in terms of physical markers such as blood pressure, triglycerides, and indicators of overweight and obesity.”

And if that wasn't enough to contend with, the research suggests that expectations placed on first-borns may be to blame for their ill health.

"Firstborns are often perceived to be intense and career-orientated while later-borns are considered to be more laid back and creative," Dr Black explained. "This provides a possible set of explanations for these findings."

“High blood pressure and triglycerides may be caused by the stress that results from this driven, competitive personality type," she concluded.

Well, there you have it…